He has created a surreal masterpiece using more than 60,000 aluminium ring-pulls, which he collected over four years.

The 52-year-old mature art student, from Nelson, has produced the work, described as ‘recycling with a surreal twist’, as part of his BA course in fine art at UCLan.

The former Army soldier said he was inspired by the famous surrealist painter Salvador Dali.

He uses symbolic objects and elements, such as skulls and the number six, to create a ‘nightmarish’ scene of the current state of the environment.

Nigel, a married father-of-three, currently working at B&Q, said: “I have enjoyed art since a young age and it was one of my stronger subjects in school.

“This course has allowed me to express myself through art, and I have thoroughly enjoyed it, especially the practical aspect of it.

“I am really proud of my work and I hope it will now take pride of place in my garden.

“I just have to convince my wife first.”

Nigel is a keen collector and was able to use the skills he learnt in the forces to fuel his passion. He kept a host of cigarette papers, packets of tobacco, and ring-pulls to include in his art,
and even incorporated his love for Burnley Football Club in the form of Claret and Blue ring-pulls.

Living in Lancashire all his life, his passion for art led him to complete a foundation course at UCLan’s Burnley Campus, before moving onto the full-time BA (Hons) course in Preston.

This is not one of the famous, ( or should I say infamous ) Goldie's of Sackville Street, Brierfield, is it ? 60 thousand ring pulls? See you Jimmy, that's a heck of a lot of Carlsberg Special Brew. When you say ' ring pulls', what exactly do you mean ? It is twenty years or more, when detachable, individual ring pulls were swapped ( for environmental reasons ) for tabs, that were attached to the individual can itself. Is this chappie collecting cans, and one has to ask, what happened to each of the cans he has used ? No disrespect to the chappie, being a former squaddie and all that, wearing ' green for the Queen', volunteering where many of his contemporaries, well, they are happy just to suck off Society, and I am happy that he has a position, where so many are thrown on the scrap heap when they hand in their uniform....but stick to the day job, Nige....

This is not one of the famous, ( or should I say infamous ) Goldie's of Sackville Street, Brierfield, is it ? 60 thousand ring pulls? See you Jimmy, that's a heck of a lot of Carlsberg Special Brew. When you say ' ring pulls', what exactly do you mean ? It is twenty years or more, when detachable, individual ring pulls were swapped ( for environmental reasons ) for tabs, that were attached to the individual can itself. Is this chappie collecting cans, and one has to ask, what happened to each of the cans he has used ? No disrespect to the chappie, being a former squaddie and all that, wearing ' green for the Queen', volunteering where many of his contemporaries, well, they are happy just to suck off Society, and I am happy that he has a position, where so many are thrown on the scrap heap when they hand in their uniform....but stick to the day job, Nige....Wetwangman